here's all the reviews from judges for the Head to Head, since only some were revealed
{Nick P }Respect: classic! Aretha serves here, and the song is simply wonderful. the lyrics are great, and the use of horns is quite lovey as well! and of course Aretha delivers a super strong vocal performance. fantastic track! (9.8)
Crazy in Love: this is peak early 2000s. the instrumental is insanely catchy, as is the chorus/post-chorus. Beyoncé and Jay-Z also both give some great performances. great song! (8.7)
Heroes: I love this song. the instrumental has a really nice feel to it, and Bowie of course sounds great over it! the lyrics really stand out on the song though, I love the picture he’s able to paint with his words. fantastic song (9.9)
Go Your Own Way: wait I just had an “oh that’s what that song is” moment with this. I’d heard it a ton growing up, but had never been able to put a title to the song. so thanks for helping my dilemma there haha. it’s a pretty great track to boot - catchy chorus and a great instrumental. (8.9)
Since U Been Gone: this one’s alright. it’s got some nice pop energy, but like...you had so many good choices from that list. I’m just not sure that this, though a perfectly fine song, was really a good luck considering your options. (7.1)
Paper Planes: this song is incredible lol. the beat is so freaking good, and MIA owns it to hell and back! the lyrics are also pretty solid, and I like the creative choices that are made with the song’s production! amazing song! (10)
What’s Going On: an absolute classic. not my favorite from Marvin but you really can’t go wrong with him. he’s a great singer & songwriter, and this song in particular demonstrates those skills. great song (9.4)
Hey Ya: this song is goofy as hell, but I still like it quite a bit. it has some super infectious, fun energy, and both members of OutKast seem to be really enjoying themselves on it, which only adds to my enjoyment of the song haha. great track! (9.6)
When Doves Cry: I mean it’s thought of as an all time great track for a reason lol. Prince truly crafted a masterpiece here - from the creative take on a common lyrical concept, to the great melody, it’s an all around fantastic track! (9.9)
Umbrella: one of Rihanna’s better hits for my money. the beat is pretty sweet, and Jay-Z adds a lot to the song. pretty good song! (8)
A Change is Gonna Come: this is a really pretty song. the highlight is probably the lyrics, though I quite enjoy the grand feel of the instrumental and Sam Cooke’s voice. overall it’s a pretty great song (9.2)
Be My Baby: classic pop at its finest! the vocals on this track are simply lovely, the lyrics are really cute as well! all of it is anchored by a strong melody and great production! (9.3)
Fast Car: this is a sweet little track. the lyrics are pretty fantastic, and the guitar work is really nice as well! Tracy Chapman’s voice isn’t my favorite thing, but it’s not bad either, and aside from that the song is pretty great! (8.9)
{samo🦕 }Aretha Franklin - Respect One of the greatest female empowerment anthems of the 20th century, with fantastic production, many memorable lyrics and one of Aretha’s best vocal performances I’ve heard.(9.7)
Beyoncé/Jay-Z - Crazy in Love
This song’s intro is amazing, but the rest is just pretty good, with the production in the verses being a little too sparse for my personal taste, and the lyrics don’t do a lot to elevate the song. (8.5)
David Bowie - Heroes
David Bowie is one of those artists whose songs I usually respect more than I like. Heroes is an exception to that, and despite being over 6 minutes long doesn’t overstay its welcome by adding to the production as the song progresses. (8.6)
Fleetwood Mac - Go Your Own Way
This is the only totally new discovery for me in this set, and one I’ll definitely be coming back to. The production is wonderful, with some excellent guitar work that provides an anthemic feel to the whole song. I love the guitar solo especially. (8.9)
Kelly Clarkson - Since U Been Gone
This song doesn’t always hit when I listen to it, but when I’m in the right mood I can see why this is so beloved; the chorus is one of the best of the 2000s, and such a great change in energy from the quieter verses. (9)
M.I.A. - Paper Planes
While not one of my absolute favourite 2000s hits, I still love this and I’m really glad it was a big hit, being one of the most unique hits of its decade, between the sound effects in the chorus that fit perfectly and M.I.A. managing to repeat each verse twice without the song becoming boring whatsoever. (9)
Marvin Gaye - What's Going On
The lyrics here are fantastic, working both as a more straight-forward cry for equality and a more complex takedown of specific issues like prosecution through physical violence. Marvin also sounds great here, but I’m not as much a fan of the production, which stopped me from living this as much as I wanted to. (8.4)
OutKast - Hey Ya!
I really want to love this song, because it’s one of the most iconic 2000s hits for a reason, but I’ve never been able to get behind some of the production choices, or the vocals in the chorus. This is still a good song, but I don’t see what everyone loves about it. (8)
Prince - When Doves Cry
It’s rare that a song this good is the biggest hit of an entire year, but every part of this song is fantastic. Prince’s vocal performance is erratic towards the end of the song, but fits the tone of the song perfectly, and the combination of guitar and synth in the final minute is basically perfect. (9.8)
Rihanna/Jay-Z - Umbrella
This is another song in this set I wish I liked more than I do; it’s a good song, but I don’t think the production has aged that well, and Jay-Z’s had much better verses. (8.5)
Sam Cooke - A Change Is Gonna Come
This is a great song, with a very powerful message behind it, and Sam sounds excellent on it. The production is pretty good as well, but it stopped me from giving this an even better score. (8.6)
The Ronettes - Be My Baby
A gorgeous song with some great vocals that compliment the beautiful production - the drums are some of my favourites I’ve ever heard. The lyrics aren’t anything particularly unique, but fit the instrumentation very well. (9.6)
Tracy Chapman - Fast Car
This is another one of my favourite 80s songs, with excellently-written lyrics and a fantastic performance from Tracy. The simpler production in the verses works in the song’s favour, allowing you to really focus on the lyrics. (9.7)
- Legendary song. Aretha is a legendary vocalist for a reason. (8.3)
Beyoncé/Jay-Z - Crazy in Love
- I get a strange sense of nostalgia everytime I hear this song. I remember this song from my childhood and it has always stuck with me. (8.5)
David Bowie - Heroes
- I'm gonna get some hate for this but I gotta say, Heroes is not one of my favorites by Bowie. I love me some Bowie but for some reason this song just never really hit me like some of his others. (6.4)
Fleetwood Mac - Go Your Own Way
- Absolute classic. I love me some Fleetwood Mac and this song truly has stood the test of time. This song has never gotten old to me and I just love it. (9.7)
Kelly Clarkson - Since U Been Gone
- While I won't argue that Kelly is a great artist, I never fully got behind this song. It isn't bad or anything, just nothing really special. It's just kinda there. (5.4)
M.I.A. - Paper Planes
- Boy, this song is something. It's something that doesn't seem like it would be very well like, yet the critical acclaim says otherwise. Personally, I find Paper Planes to be a solid song. (7.1)
Marvin Gaye - What's Going On
- Marvin Gaye was taken away too soon. Incredible artist who truly inspired so many after him. (8.1)
OutKast - Hey Ya!
- I said this on the Discord but Hey Ya! is far from the best of Outkast but there's no denying that it's a great song. (7.8)
Prince - When Doves Cry
- One of my favorites from Prince. Such a talented artist. (8.9)
Rihanna/Jay-Z - Umbrella
- Overall, a great song, but has kinda grown off me over the years. (7.5)
Sam Cooke - A Change Is Gonna Come
- Another song that has stood the test of time greatly. The message is still relevant to this day, and this song will forever be important to the cause of change. (9.5)
The Ronettes - Be My Baby
- Surprisingly didn't know this song going into this. I really enjoy the melody and the vocals. Very solid song overall (8.6)
Tracy Chapman - Fast Car
- I remember listening to the Jonas Blue version, not knowing it was a remix of this. Glad I did give this a listen though, because while I like the tropical house feel of the Jonas Blue version, I think the acoustic works so much better for this track. Not many songs can sound good in two different genres. (10)
An iconic anthem. Female empowerment anthem that still stands the test of time. I don’t even have to comment on the vocals here because it’s nothing but great, but I also love the arrangement of the song with the bouncy piano riff and the brass sections popping in and out. Great pick.
Beyoncé/Jay-Z - Crazy in Love (8.5)
The horns in this song! That whole sequence is my favorite part of the song, haha. Beyoncé kills it in this song - I think the thing that’s keeping it from being one of my favorites of all-time is the chorus; I don’t particularly love it and when it shows up three times in a song...
David Bowie - Heroes (8.7)
I really love how the guitars sound in this, and turns out there are some special things going into it as I learned in my research. David Bowie is an artist I’ve come to appreciate really recently. I think one of the aspects I appreciate about David Bowie is the lyrics/story in the song - here he does it again with the third verse with the reference to Berlin Wall, I really like that part in a song where the lyrics are more leaning towards a standard love song. Doesn’t feel like a 6-minute song either, which I take as a good sign when it comes to longer songs.
Fleetwood Mac - Go Your Own Way (8.2)
This song (and “Never Going Back Again”) that Lindsey Buckingham wrote for Rumours is really interesting because of Stevie Nicks. A song written about their relationship falling apart from his perspective that gets sung by a band they are both members of? That alone is so intriguing. The drums in the verses are very interesting too - I don’t think that pattern is something I hear a lot in the music I’ve heard but maybe I’m not paying enough attention?
Kelly Clarkson - Since U Been Gone (8.8)
This is one of the songs I always think is overhyped but when I listen to it it actually is really great, lol. This is one of the many songs I go to when I’m mad about something because it just feels so damn good, this is some pop-rock goodness right here.
M.I.A. - Paper Planes (8.9)
One of the most unique hits of 2008 - from the lyrics (which is definitely unique in mainstream music that become big pop hits; less so in terms of music as a whole) to production choices (the gunshots and the cash register sound being the biggest examples). Love M.I.A.’s delivery here too - she sounds nonchalant here which provides a big gap between the delivery and the lyrics (to me it sounds like it’s reflective of how the US is apathetic to this situation).
Marvin Gaye - What's Going On (9.5)
I think this might be my favorite Marvin Gaye song - I just really love the music. It’s groovy but chill at the same time which makes it a really easy listen. Marvin Gaye’s delivery here is also really easy on the ears and just flows in (am I even making sense lol). Really great piece of soul music - I love it a lot.
OutKast - Hey Ya! (8.7)
This is such a fun song to listen to! Great production choices to the bridge that includes the call-and-response section and brought us the “shake it…. shake it like a polaroid picture” (which btw is my favorite part of the song). The chorus can get a little boring just because it’s mostly just “hey ya”s but the production is interesting so it’s not really dull.
Prince - When Doves Cry (10)
My favorite Prince song. I’m not sure why but the melody is so addicting. A big chunk of the song is just driven by the drums and the synth riff, which can almost be underwhelming but it still works. Of course, when the extra instruments (namely the guitars) come in at the end it’s great too.
Rihanna/Jay-Z - Umbrella (8.8)
One of Rihanna’s signatures - not my favorite from the whole Good Girl Gone Bad album (that would be “Disturbia”) but I still love this song. I love the drums with the emphasized hi-hats that come in at the beginning of each measure and the bassline in this song. The added synths in the second and last chorus is an aspect I dig too. I got into the song because of the catchiness at first but I think these days I appreciate the production over Rihanna’s singing for this song.
Sam Cooke - A Change Is Gonna Come (9.0)
I think this is a prime example of a timeless classic - this song can still apply to what’s happening today and the hopeful tone of the song is something we need sometimes. Great vocal performance and I love the choices of instruments too.
The Ronettes - Be My Baby (9.3)
I’m not sure why I love this song so much - I don’t think it does anything super special but I think every element of the song is done really well and it’s such an earworm too!
Tracy Chapman - Fast Car (9.2)
This song is so sad that it hurts - the lyrics/story in this song are gut-wrenching to me and the simple acoustic guitar riff that goes along the majority of the song just makes the song even more somber. But in terms of song quality, I think this is one way you know a song has done its job well - when it moves you and makes you feel something, and that’s what this song exactly does.
{@mirza }Tracy Chapman - "Fast Car"
I absolutely love the lyrics of this one and Tracy's voice. The simple melody just makes me focus on Tracy and the lyrics, this is a song that is just beautifully written and evokes a lot of strong emotion that heavily ties into why I enjoy this song . (8.6)
M.I.A. - Paper Planes: Being the first song I heard from Maya it left such a strong impression and still holds up as one of my favorites from her. As I said in my rating for this in Last Stand, you are a lying piece of garbage if you do not find this song catchy and that chorus iconic, literal ear candy that is just so well produced and delivered. (10)
Kelly Clarkson - Since U Been Gone: The entirety of the Breakaway era is still so nostalgic and this is the centerpiece of it all being the biggest hit of the album. I think Kelly nails it vocally and melodically, it's a fun pop rock classic that still holds up over a decade later. (8.8)
Beyoncé/Jay-Z - Crazy in Love: Ready for a controversial hot take, of the singles off Bey's debut era this is my least favorite but I still love it, well least favorite tied with Baby Boy. It's still an amazing hit song that is always iconic and just very memorable, is it my favorite from Bey, nah, do I like still it, hell yes. Though I do think she elevates this song so much more in live performances (9.4)
Rihanna/Jay-Z - Umbrella: Under my umbrella-ella-ella eh eh eh, still a hook that gets stuck in your head for sure even after all these years. GGGB era Rihanna is the most memorable nostalgic stuff to this day and I love Umbrella. (9.2)
Prince - When Doves Cry: A classic from Prince, I still absolutely enjoy this one especially the production and melody. And Prince obviously rides it so well in a way that truly only he can. (9.1)
David Bowie - Heroes: I'm not a big Bowie fan but I do enjoy this song. Bowie's unique vocals and the message of the song are the main highlights. (8.4)
Fleetwood Mac - Go Your Own Way: I absolutely love Fleetwood Mac and this is a fantastic classic from them. Lindsey's vocal performance is stellar and the song is very personal yet accessible, a great song. (9.5)
Marvin Gaye - What's Going On: Marvin's voice is lovely and I do enjoy the simple instrumentation of the song but to be honest I'm not really crazy over this at all. (7.8)
The Ronnettes - Be My Baby: An old school classic, this is such a cute endearing track that just feels chock full of happy puppy love energy. (8.5)
Sam Cooke - A Change Is Gonna Come: Sam's vocal performance is so strong and evokes a strong sense of emotion which is pivotal for the song given that the theme and time period of the song being an era of massive racism. (8.9)
Aretha Franklin - Respect: A classic from the legendary Aretha Franklin,I love this song and Aretha sells it so well. Her vocals are great, I love the lyrics, and the instrumentation is ace. (9.4)
OutKast - Hey Ya!: A 2000s bop, its such a fun upbeat number with juxtaposing lyrics but it works somehow to be this memorable bop that you can't help but groove along too. (9.3)
{Juan Carlos }• Aretha Franklin – "Respect" [8.1]: I enjoyed listening to this. The jazz vibes and Aretha's vocals shine throughout the song.
• Beyoncé featuring Jay-Z – "Crazy in Love" [8.5]: This is really good and it's one of my favourite songs by Beyoncé. Glad to see that it was submitted.
• David Bowie – "Heroes" [7.9]: Classic. I like the track, although I'm not a huge fan of David Bowie. The production is cool and I liked how it complemented with his vocals.
• Fleetwood Mac – "Go Your Own Way" [8.6]: This is very uplifting and I really liked listening to this. The outro is fantastic.
• Kelly Clarkson – "Since U Been Gone" [8.7]: This is definitely one of the signature songs by Kelly Clarkson. The rock elements throughout the pop track is great, as well as the bridge.
• Marvin Gaye – "What's Going On" [8.0]: The vocals by Marvin Gaye are great in the song and the meaning behind the song is really powerful.
• M.I.A. – "Paper Planes" [9.0]: This is an in your face song, which I enjoy listening to it. The effects during the chorus seem to work in my opinion, although some people may think that they are distracting.
• OutKast – "Hey Ya! " [8.8]: This is great. It brings me back to 2004 when I kept listening to the song in my local radio stations.
• Prince – "When Doves Cry" [8.2]: This is good. Prince really knew how to make people to enjoy his songs and this wasn't the exception.
• Rihanna featuring Jay-Z – "Umbrella" [8.5]: Ella, ella, eh, eh, eh This is so catchy and it still doesn't get old to be honest. The bridge and the outro are really good.
• The Ronettes – "Be My Baby" [7.4]: I wasn't too impressed by this. I liked the vocals and the rhythm throughout the song.
• Sam Cooke – "A Change Is Gonna Come" [7.6]: Like "What's Going On", the message behind "A Change Is Gonna Come" is really strong. I also like Sam Cooke's vocals through the track.
• Tracy Chapman – "Fast Car" [7.7]: This is a classic. Everything about the song is great and I enjoy listening to her vocals throughout the song.
I mean, this is one of the most widely known soul songs of all-time, and for good reason. Aretha gracefully yet confidently expresses herself to the listener, and you can’t help but get up, sing along and dance to it. (8.8)
Beyoncé/Jay-Z - Crazy in Love
For me, this is Beyoncé’s best effort; the collaboration with Jay-Z works well, the hook is masterfully produced and Beyoncé showcases her powerful vocals in a non-overexaggerated manner. It’s a bit shallow, but it’s well-executed. (7.4)
David Bowie - Heroes
I’ll still take “Starman” over this, but this is prime Bowie. There’s something just magical behind the instrumentation of this song, where it constantly leaves you excited anticipating the next line, but where it still flows in beautiful harmony. And of course, Bowie takes you under his wing and makes you feel like you’re part of the story he’s telling you. (9.0)
Fleetwood Mac - Go Your Own Way
I ended up being slightly burnt out from this song over the years due to being overused in the media, but it’s still a timeless classic to me. This is how you write a confident breakup song. The lore behind the personal relationships of the band adds to the sincere aspect of the lyrics, but they’re still relatable by almost anyone. On top of that, there’s a solid instrumentation; it’s nearly flawless, from the first few notes to the solo at the end, where everything flows smoothly. A true classic, period. (9.7)
Kelly Clarkson - Since U Been Gone
Nothing bad about this, as this became a classic in terms of pop-rock in-your-face breakup songs. It’s good at doing what it’s trying to do, but it’s nothing more than that. Simple, but effective. (7.0)
M.I.A. - Paper Planes
It took me years to warm up to this song, but I appreciate the uniqueness of the instrumentation and the politically-charged content of the lyrics today. The use of the sound effects is clever, and not annoying in any way, accompanied by solid production throughout. (7.9)
Marvin Gaye - What's Going On
There’s a perfect balance between Gaye’s soulful vocals and the instrumentation here, where none overshadow each other, resulting in one of the most perfect songs in the history of soul music. (9.6)
OutKast - Hey Ya!
A great earworm with solid production, but I prefer Outkast when they’re not as goofy as they are in this song. (7.4)
Prince - When Doves Cry
To me, simply one of the greatest songs of all-time, incorporating so many styles, influences and vocal elements, which somehow all come together as a cohesive masterpiece. Artistic yet catchy, and especially groovy as all hell, too. (10.0)
Rihanna/Jay-Z - Umbrella
Here’s the thing: this was originally going to be much lower than this, as I used to severely despise this song. It doesn’t bother me as much anymore: the song is well-produced, and the instrumentation has some subtly interesting aspects to it. But the “ella ella ay ay” part still grates me, and the bridge is flat-out bad and feels forced. Jay-Z is absolutely unnecessary as well. I personally never got what made this such a classic. (5.1)
Sam Cooke - A Change Is Gonna Come
I love Sam Cooke’s voice, and this is a very powerful and soulful piece of music accompanied by a real elegant instrumental track. (7.9)
The Ronettes - Be My Baby
A timeless, catchy, classic. I love the drums throughout this, and I can’t help but hum along everytime I hear this.(8.6)
Tracy Chapman - Fast Car
I’ve always loved the sincere and the heartwarming lyrics in this song. To me, one of the rare cases where simplicity really enhances the beauty of a song, which in this case contributes to the intimacy communicated by the singer. (8.2)
